Two goals in the first half for Wollongong United were too much for Port Kembla who were on top in the beginning of the second half.
Fans did not have to wait long for the dead lock to be broken. In the 11th minute Daniel Geroski struck the ball from the right side of the edge of the penalty area, rolling it past Port Kembla goalkeeper Adam Rodriguez.
Just seven minutes later, Mitsuo Yamada played a lovely over the top through ball clearing the Port Kembla defence. Navarone Darjani received the ball and ran towards the goal. He cut in on his left and placed the ball at the far post.
After 25 minutes of dominant football from United, Port Kembla had a glimmer of hope through Levi Martins and Ryan Chard. Martins received the ball driving forward before laying the ball to Chard who flicked the ball around Joshua Galevski, having a shot blocked by Yamada.
United were quick to reply after a counterattack. Jordan Nikolovski was squared the ball from the right and pulled the shot past the left post as a great chance was missed.
In the closing stages of the half Port Kembla’s Alex Tourgelis received the ball to his feet after a cross from Payton Skurtevski flew towards the back post to the open man. Taking too long to shoot, Galevski blocked the ball before being cleared.
Port Kembla came out of the sheds firing and on top of the league leaders.
Winger Dane Corolla used some fancy footwork as he manoeuvred the ball through the stacked United box after a Port Kembla set piece. He was unable to get a shot away after a touch too big was an easy pick up for keeper Tom Alston.
Just seven minutes into the second half Martins pulled one back. After a great team attack from Port Kembla through Corolla bursting down the line before he crossed the ball into Chard. Chard laid the ball off to Michael Mendes who touched the ball around the defender into the path of Martins who buried it into the bottom left corner.
A few minutes later Port Kembla were in again as Martins drove down the line. He tried to square the ball into the penalty area for Corolla, but the ball was too close to Alston.
United started to gain momentum back and in the 70th minute Nikolovski played a through ball to the left to captain Bailey Barbarovski who was unable to get his foot around the ball, kicking it out for a goal kick with a wasted chance for United.
Alston was kept on his toes shortly after when Keija Nishikawa fired the ball towards the United keeper in what seemed like a cross. The ball swerved while Alston scrambled. The ball slipped through his hands and off his shoulder went over the bar and for a corner.
With five minutes to go in the half Samuel Matthews received the ball in the penalty area with Rodriguez off of his line. He struck the ball towards goal deflecting off a black and white jersey, but Tourgelis was there to clear the ball off the goal line.
In the dying moments of the match Port Kembla threw everything they had at the leaders but were unable to build any decent chances as the game remained 2-1 for the home side.
Wollongong United will face Shellharbour FC at home on the 14th of June at 2:45pm while Port Kembla will play later that night at Ian McLennan Park at 7pm against South Coast United.
Report by Jack Naumovski
Photos courtesy of Richie Wagner
